Music & Art Performance
Chaffey College Choir Enchants Wignall Museum with Special Performance
By Jess Rodrigo and Paul Arganda
In a symphony of elegance and intellectual allure, Chaffey College's Chamber Choir transported attendees into a realm where art, science and unseen forces harmonized seamlessly at the Wignall Museum of Contemporary Art. These hallowed halls became the stage for a captivating performance, where each note resonated with the ongoing theme of "Seeing the Unseen”.
The first masterpiece to grace the ears of the enraptured audience was "Donna Gentil Per Farvi Piu Perfetta" by Vincenzo Galilei, an Italian love poem. David Rentz, the professor leading the chamber choir noted that this piece was special not only because of its romanticism but also the scientific thought that is embedded within its composition. The idea that within music, all kinds of chords can connect with each other to create a transformative sound.
As the echoes of Galilei's masterpiece lingered in the air, the choir seamlessly transitioned into "As Buds Give Rise” composed by Brown with Darwin’s words. This lyrical homage to nature and evolution, added a profound layer to the performance that resonated with the overarching theme. Supported by Staff Accompanist, Johnathan Johnson, this piece contained science and poetry within the recitation text on the idea of nature and species rising within time.
In such little time the choir was able to conjure emotions within the audience, with each passing shift in chords and harmonies. The audience was able to experience an immersive journey that exemplified the relationship between what science and music could sound like.
The choir's voices, guided by history and creativity, The Wignall, typically a haven for visual exploration, became the intimate gathering for an auditory experience. Attendees found themselves between the boundaries where disciplines dissolved, leaving only the transformative power of artistic expression.
In the final echoes of the second song, Professor Rentz gestured gently as he ended the final piece. Leaving the audience sitting in silence still taking in the beauty of the performance. The Chaffey College Chamber Choir, through their carefully curated repertoire had successfully blurred the lines between science and music. The audience, enriched by the experience, departed with a newfound appreciation for the unseen influences that connect artistry and science, leaving the Wignall echoing with the resounding success of a harmonious fusion.